Applicator



.I. R. BEDELL APPLICATOR Filed Feb. 2, 1939 James .E-Bsc/a/l May 21,1940.

Patented May 21, 1940 PATENT. OFFICE APPLICATOR James R. Bedell,Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York,N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 2, 1939, SerialNo. 254,199

'2 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for applying coating material toarticles and is especially useful in applying adhesive to labels orbands.

In marketing many articles, such as rubber bands it is desirable topackage the articles by applying a band'label about one or more of thearticles usually arranged in a bundle. The bands or labels must have anadhesive applied to one of the overlapping ends thereof.

The present invention provides means for applying the adhesive to thebands one at a time as they are withdrawn from a stack of bands.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide automaticapplication of coating material, especially adhesive, to provide evendistribution of the same, to provide for keeping the material at thecorrect temperature, to keep the material from contamination, to provideautomatic discontinuance of material delivery when the materialcontainer is raised above the labels or bands, to provide positivecontrol of the area of application, and generally to provide simplicityof mechanism and reliability of operation.

These and other, objects will appear from the following description andthe accompanying drawing.

Of the drawing:

Fig. l is a cross-sectional elevation of the apparatus, taken on line Ilof Fig. 2 showing a stack of labels or bands in place.

Fig. '2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view, taken on line 44 of Fig. 3 showing apart of one of the bands in plan with the adhesive partially appliedthereto.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a bundle of rubber bands with a labelband applied thereto.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l0 designates the base of theapparatus upon which are mounted fixed or adjustable fences l I, l2, illfor properly locating a stack M of labels or bands l5. Supported fromthe base above the labels is ahollow cylindrical guideway l6 withinwhich a tank I! of adhesive [8 is slidably mounted for verticalmovement. The guideway I6 is preferably made double walled with heatingmeans between the walls for warming the adhesive. In the form ofapparatus shown the heating means comprises a coil l9 of resistance wireand a layer of heat insulation 20 thereabout. The heating coil issupplied by current through wires 2|, 22, and a thermostat 23 may beprovided to regulate the temperature.

The tank H has a cover 24 removably attached thereto, as by a bayonetjoint 25 and the cover has a tubular extension 26 slidably mounted in abracket 27 and adapted to be locked against sliding by a thumb screw 28.Bracket 21 is removably secured to the guideway by a stud 29 andwing-nut 30.

To provide for release of adhesive from the tank H, a slot 32 slightlynarrower than the labels is formed in the bottom of the tank inalignment with the tubular extension 26 of the cover. angularly turnedoutwardly to form a prismatic seal-33 for a combination adhesivespreader and valve 34 of similar form. The valve 34 is fixed to a rod 35vertically slidable in the tubular extension 26 of the cover. 7 The rod35 terminates below the valve 34 in a doctor blade or adhesive spreader36 adapted to contact with the top label of the stack and toloosely fitthe slot 32. The arrangement is such that when the tank l3 rests on thetop the label closes the opening and the valve is raised so that thespreader also rests on the label and a rectangular area of the adhesive,contacts with the label and is applied thereto as the label is withdrawnfrom the stack H, but when the tank is raised from the labels, the valve34 closes the slot so that the adhesive does not drop or run out. Therectangular form of the aperture in the tank assures application ofadhesive entirely across the label, if desired, and preventsthe valvefrom turning relative to the tank, and the tubular extension 26 of thelid is of substantially square cross section to prevent the tank fromrotating with respect to the label stack.

In use, the fences ll, l2,v l3 are arranged to align the labels so thatthe aperturein the tank extends across the top label and a distance fromits end corresponding to the length of the label to which adhesive is tobe applied. The tank is filled with adhesive. If the adhesive requiresheating, the electric current is applied to the tank. The labels arewithdrawn from the stack, one at a time, and the adhesive isautomatically applied as they are withdrawn.

If desired, the electric heating coil may be omitted and the guidewaymay be heated by steam or hot water circulated between its double Walls.

Variations may be made without departing The walls surrounding theaperture are from the scope of the invention as it is defined with saidguide means for maintaining the contents of the tank at the propertemperature irrespective of its position along the guide means Whilepermitting removal of the tank from the guide and heating means.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which the guide means surroundsthe tank in contact with an extensive area of its walls.

JAMES R. BEDELL.

